FBI LASD U.S. Attorney

Former LASD Deputy Accuses Feds of Editing Testimony to Get Conviction



DID EDITED TESTIMONY MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

The formal written brief asking the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn the conviction of former Los Angeles Sheriff’s Deputy James Sexton was filed last Friday, and WitnessLA has obtained a copy. In it, Sexton’s defense attorneys, led by former U.S. Attorney, Thomas O’brien, accuse federal prosecutors of taking crucial grand jury testimony given months earlier by Mr. Sexton and presenting it to Sexton’s trial jury in an highly edited form that fundamentally changed its meaning—rendering it misleading and false.

If you’ll remember, last September, James Sexton was convicted of obstruction of justice in connection with the FBI’s investigation into civil rights abuses by sheriff’s deputies inside LA County’s troubled jail system.

Specifically, Sexton was found guilty of obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice because of his part in helping to hide federal informant Anthony Brown from his FBI handlers.

It was the second time that Sexton had been tried for the same charges. His first go-round, which took place in May of 2014, resulted in a “hopelessly deadlocked” jury that split six-six.

Sexton was the seventh former LASD department member to be convicted of obstruction with regard to the Brown case. The other six—two lieutenants, two sergeants and two deputies—were convicted in July 2014 and all seven were given prison sentences that ranged in length from 18 months to 41 months.

Sexton and the other six appealed their convictions to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and the 9th agreed to hear both cases.


SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES

The appeals of all seven former department members convicted of obstruction are, in certain ways, similar. For instance, in the 77-page brief filed Friday, Sexton’s attorneys argue that the case was the “..unfortunate product of a turf war taken to the extreme.” The appeal then goes on to describe “two law enforcement agencies”—namely the LASD and the FBI—that “..both thought they were more important than the other.”

This “jousting” by decision makers “resulted in lower level officers facing federal convictions for obstructing justice when they thought they were serving justice,” states the brief. The filing also makes clear that Sexton and the rest did what they were ordered to do by their bosses.

“This is not criminal activity,” write Sexton’s attorneys to the appellate court. “This is not obstruction of justice. It is a tragedy that this Court should correct.”

In an appellate brief weighing in at an impressive 161 pages, that was also filed on Friday, the attorneys for the other six, made a similar argument, albeit in even greater detail, that those convicted had followed what they believed to be lawful orders that came from the very top of the organization, along with expanded versions of the orders handed down by supervisors in between.

Yet, there are also certain critical differences between Sexton’s appeal, and the appeal for the other six.


JUROR NO. 5

In one of the latter’s brief’s most interesting sections, the attorneys for the six dispute Judge Percy Anderson’s dismissal of one particular juror late in the deliberation process, who wanted out because she was feeling “threatened.” The juror, wrote attorneys for the six, “revealed” at least a “reasonable possibility that her difficulties stemmed from disagreements with another juror (or jurors) about the merits of the case. The strong implication was that the dismissed juror, had she stayed on, was reasonably likely to have voted to acquit, which would have meant a hung jury.


IS IT LEGAL TO EDIT?

In Sexton’s appellate brief what is perhaps the most intriguing section pertains to the trimming of his testimony, which Judge Anderson permitted over the strenuous objections by his defense attorneys. At trial, the core of the government’s case was Sexton’s grand jury testimony, which the prosecutors characterized as a confession.

In Sexton’s first trial, which ended up with a hung jury, the government’s central piece of evidence was also Sexton’s grand jury testimony, a long segment of which was reenacted for the jury. Yet for the second trial, the feds took the same segment read to the jury in the first trial, and edited some of its content in such a way that, according Sexton’s attorneys, changed the meaning substantially from what the jury heard in the first trial:

Not coincidentally, the Government opted to edit out essentially all of the testimony relied upon by Mr. Sexton in his closing argument during the first trial. During the first trial, Mr. Sexton relied on portions of his Grand Jury testimony to establish and to argue that he did not have the requisite knowledge of the pending investigation in order to obstruct it.

The brief argues that snips made by the feds removed important context, and what was left suggested that Sexton had knowledge and intentions that the full transcript would have made clear he did not possess.

The removal of these excerpts rendered the testimony misleading…[to the jury] and it was not harmless. This Court need look no further than the facts that, in the first trial—with full evidence—the jury hung… and in the second trial the Government specifically targeted those portions of the testimony Mr. Sexton relied on his closing to know this error was not harmless and that the trial court abused its discretion in excluding this evidence.

In other words, according to the appeal, reading the unedited version of the grand jury testimony produced one meaning, and one jury outcome. Whereas reading the line edited version produced a very different—and false—meaning for the jury, and that Sexton’s conviction was the result.


TO TARGET OR NOT TO TARGET

There are a number of other interesting points in Sexton’s appeal: It maintains, for instance, that Sexton was given the clear impression that he was viewed as a cooperating witness, not as a suspect, in his interactions with the FBI and with federal prosecutors. He had after all met with the FBI several dozen times, and had brought them documents. Then when he went to testify in front of the grand jury, according to the appeal, the feds assured Sexton that he was not a target of their investigation, when it turned out that he was. This bait and switch, the attorneys wrote, was against the feds’ own policy.

The USAM [US Attorney’s Manual] instructs the USAO [US Attorney’s Office] that targets of the investigation should not be subpoenaed without special consideration. Here, Mr. Sexton was specifically advised he was not a target, participated in countless interviews, and offered fulsome grand jury testimony all based on the Government’s repeated statements that he was not a target, only to find out that he was a target and his Grand Jury testimony was to form the core of the evidence against him. The Government’s failure to follow its own written policies which were enacted to prevent “unfairness,” must not be allowed to go unchecked. If the Government is allowed to subpoena targets before the Grand Jury without warning, in violation of DOJ policies, the potential for abuse is endless.

In the next 60 days the government will send the 9th Circuit its formal replies. And then likely late this year or early next year, the 9th will actually hear the two appeals and render a decision.

So stay tuned.


UPDATE: Here are the two briefs for your reading pleasure.

Sexton Opening Brief_9th Circuit Appeal

Thompson, Et Al, 9th Circuit Appeals Brief 7-24-2015

54 Comments

  • Way to go Sexton and O’Brien! Next on the chopping block is ALADS, who specializes in screwing over deputies who are not “in their car” Why pay dues?

    Karma is King. Ask Tanaka, Thompson and Hayhurst.

    ROLL SEXTON!

  • The Feds and prosecution are a bunch a ego grasping low life’s!!! They are liars that were only trying to up their career!!! I wish you could put the whole 77 pages up for review and it will make your blood boil to see how they have ruined this mans life and career. There is a lot more to this case than just what Celeste has written. Great job Celeste but it is just too much federal corruption to fil in one article. Thomas O’Brien did a great job laying the evidence out piece by piece. It is overwhelming to read how corrupt,manipulative and desperate they were to achieve a conviction. If they had a strong case then there should have been no need to edit his testimony!!!! I hope the appellate court does the right thing and dismisses this conviction

  • It is unbelievable that grand jury testimony can be edited to suite the needs of the Feds at a second trial. That, is an absolutely disgusting state of affairs. It appears that the Feds treated Mr. Sexton unjustly, and I hope he wins his appeal. As for the other 6, they crossed a line and they know it.

  • There’s no way you can’t tell me little Sexton wasn’t up on big Sexton’s plans to move the family business (politics) to L.A. It’s good to be Royalty. Block’s kid, Waldie’s kid, Stonich’s kid, and the list could just go on…and on…certainly doesn’t have anything to do with what they know, but who they ARE the kid of…

    I get that he got worried and tried to plan an end game for himself. But if he hadn’t gotten worried, he would have just continued the game (politics) at hand, and we would most likely be calling (still) Chief Sexton’s kid, Sergeant Sexton right now.

    Hard for me to get worked up about him maybe having his ass back-handed to him through the same BS political system he would have gladly used to advance, as he had already with the jail investigations job handed to him. Kinda like some crook that went to jail for some crime they really didn’t do, THIS TIME, but got away with that same crime a thousand other times before.

    Guess we all should have looked harder at Baca’s kid bailing to Murrieta PD long ago, when he could’ve stayed and been promoted up and groomed for the first father/son LA County out-going / in-coming Sheriff team. Instead he got as far away from Leroy as possible??? Did he know then what we have all come to see????

    At the end of the day, little Sexton has been jammed up by his own doings, committed, omitted, should of, could of, I didn’t know, those aren’t my pants, those are my homies shoes… he made decisions, acted in the gray, and now its time (even though we rarely see it) for the Royal to pay the tab.

  • #6, I completely agree with you that you didn’t read anything or know the kid. Let’s hate on him for being born into wealth, make him pay for the sins of his father, and make broad assumptions about his decision to be a cop when he could have been in Turks and Caicos doing nothing with his life.

    You applaud Baca’s son, but I’m having trouble with your history. Little Sexton was in LA almost 6 years prior to Chief Sexton getting here and was one of the most out spoken against his father’s arrival. Then he sued Baca in the face of his father’s arrival and fought the Feds, which has done nothing but help the very folks who f#@$’d him. I’m sure Mickey Manzo and Lt. Thompson really appreciated having their appealatte bonds ruled on en banc after Sexton filed after them and was ruled on first w/ no response needed from the government.

    The shit you’re selling sounds great in an Aarron Tippin song or earth muffin protest, but U.S. v. Sexton is probably going to be the case law that defines and refines local and federal LE boundaries. Sure, we may hate most the “pieces of shit” who get away with technicalities, but don’t ride a high horse if you are a LASD member. Cause if you haven’t done dirt than you looked the other way when somebody else did or you are some Admin POG who has the senior citizen parking spot at HQ and hasn’t had a Sam Brown in 10 years.

    Who cares about how he came to be; it’s one of the oldest truisms in the World. Try to be smart enough to see this is a good thing for a bunch of hard working Joes who wouldn’t have been able to take this stand for the job.

    Unless you’re saying the Feds were completely playing fair and its cool to tell folks they are in danger, not targets, and give them a script to read so you they can get an easy win… Sounds like a sly fox doing his thing to me.

    Would love to see how the trolls would handle this amount of scrutiny, isolation, and examination. If the worst thing we can say about a person after they had the federal proctology exam, is yep he sure did have a silver spoon up his ass; then maybe he ain’t that bad.

    Rest assured if something truly evil were there Brandon Fox, Greg Thompson, Dick Shinee, Paul Tanaka, Lee Baca, et al would have found and used it against him. That’s a list of haters that have literally killed and crushed men twice his age. Get over yourselves folks and see this as justice for the little guy even thought the irony is that DEPUTY was more bite than bark anybody has ever given him credit for.

  • How do you explain Sexton and Rathbun’s action into reporting about dirty deputies. What about the back stabbing of Sexton by Lt.Thompson.

    Too much B.S. and unanswered questions still. No wonder it’s called Pandora’s Box.

  • Since this web site doesn’t have a “like” button guess I have to make a comment. “Politics” comment is awesome, wish I had written it.

  • @Politics there is no way we are reading the same material. You just sound like a bitter old man. What the Feds and the prosecution did to him has nothing to do with his position at LASD, his job performance ( which was excellent I may add) , or who his father was. He didnt obstruct justice, if you read the brief you would know that. As far as “royalty,” a sheriff and the son of that sheriff in little Tuscaloosa, Alabama is a far cry from wearing any crown. Mr. Sexton was a little fish in a pond full of big sharks. Just because you don’t like someone doesn’t mean they should be prosecuted for a crime he didn’t commit, have the evidence tampered with or not have their ALADS attorney show up before you Grand Jury testimony. Last time I checked EVERYONE should have the right to an attorney!!!

  • #6,
    Re: Baca’s kid bailing to Murrieta PD…………..EXACTLY!
    Shortly after Baca took office, it became painfully obvious to everybody (except the LA media) that the emporer wasn’t wearing any clothes. His kid already knew it.

  • @ 7. Way to go Jack.

    You checked the idiots who talk shit without knowing shit. You hit bullseye with Thompson, Dick Shinee, Baca, Tanaka along with the ALADS board of directors who sided with Floyd Hayhurst ( Mark Divis, Jeff Steck & George Hoffstetter) who bamboozled Sexton by withholding representation.

    Funny how the 6 others are piggybacking on O’Brien’s legal expertise for Sexton.

  • Before we tar and feather #6, perhaps it would be wise to ask ourselves if we’ve ever been wrong when making an assumption. I know I have. I know the rest of you are probably batting 1.000 with your assumptions. Except of course for those stellar individuals who’ve never even made an assumption. I applaud you. You guys are definitely in the one one-hundredth of one percent of deputies who’ve never made an assumption about a fellow deputy that you didn’t personally know. You’ve made it crystal clear that in the privacy of a radio car, when one of your partners made a comment about the “Commander’s kid” or the “Chief’s kid” having assignments handed to him or her, you set your partner’s ass straight right from the jump. I mean after all, it isn’t like every deputy that’s ever been an executive’s kid has had assignments handed to them because of who their father or mother is. I personally am having trouble remembering even one. Perhaps you could think of one to help me out. I’ve heard the list is long distinguished. But I don’t want to assume anything.
    By the way #14 Storm Rider, it’s PRICELESS that you just had to jump on the bandwagon and ASSUME because #6 said what he did, that he’s a Tanakaite. That’s rich beyond Fort Knox. Perhaps you could be so bold as to tell us how you came to that conclusion. I’ve been accused of it many times after I’ve said something that goes against the grain of many commenters. If they did a little research and homework, they would know nothing is farther from the truth. But they assumed. They assumed because I didn’t agree with EVERYTHING they said, that I was a Tanakaite. And the beat goes on.
    If the worst I can say about #6 is that he made an assumption, in error, that Sexton had an assignment handed to him because he was “a chief’s kid” when not knowing the kid personally or the full history and the entire story, I’d rather go 10-8 with him than Storm Rider.
    There’s a reason #6 made the assumption he did. It’s because political patronage and nepotism has run rampant on the LASD. Most of you have bitched about it on these very pages. I’ll give #6 a Mulligan. At least he doesn’t jump to wild ass conclusions without a scintilla of evidence like #14.
    Or we could just break out the tar and feathers.

  • Oh Well,

    I thought your approach was very measured and thoughtful. I clearly state my bias for “Little Sexton” as we are calling him here, but he also is not the patron saint of department brass babies. What I like about him is he acknowledges the fact people may have that perspeption of him and engage them about it.

    Our estranged deputy does not lack for personality, one liners, and a world class shit eating grin so he knows the deal, but doesn’t try to be anything other than James.

    You either love him or hate him, but let’s try to see this situation at an altitude above his personality, background, and egos.

    His track record is backing a partner (Rathbun), not wearing a wire, and standing up against the very man that everyone perceived to give him the keys to everything (Baca). Baca is a brutal and vindictive soul who more than likely had a great influence in Bama’s current plight.

    Let’s not forget who the real villians are in this story.

    Can’t help but say Roll Tide Roll.

  • Jack: I’ll try writing on micro-sized college rule next time, in an attempt to dissuade you from shoving so much “Jack Shit” interpretation between the lines of my narrative.

    I DID NOT say anything about either reading anything, knowing him, anything remotely relating that he’s wealthy, that he should be punished for the sins of his father, nor did I applaud Baca’s son.

    So….., I don’t know him. I don’t know Baca’s kid either. With large grained Kosher Sea Salt, I’ve watched the news, read the papers, read the blogs, and listened to the LASD third party through does 100 party grapevine. No, I haven’t attended any of the trials, or taken the time to read through all the pages of his attorneys brief. The brief, that is the one sided facts as interpreted by his attorney and him. Which I’m sure contains some actual real undisputed facts.

    Back to what I actually typed. Your not going to sell me that he didn’t know his pops plans, YEARS ago. You mentioned 6 years ago. When did you think globe trotting Baca met pops? Word in the yard is pops helped jr. get the job. You gonna dispute that? WORD is: pops was in the works for YEARS to move the family. You gonna dispute jr. didn’t know that? I doubt very much that pops made extensive monetary wealth back in po-dunk. But he rubbed together two nickels worth of political wealth. That’s how he played the game with Leroy, or are you going to dispute that? And if you say jr. didn’t play into staying on pops team, which I’m in no way hating on him about – Whatever, I call BS on you.

    Again, WORD is: his pops political wealth helped him get the deputy job and jails investigation job. Not saying he couldn’t have gottin the deputy job on his own, just saying friends of the sheriff background didn’t hurt him. Sounds like you know a lot about him. So, how long was he in the jails, after his jail training period, did he get that job? Did he get that job over more senior, experienced people? Used to be you couldn’t get that investigator job without patrol training. I’m sure that’s changed, just like you don’t have t be patrol trained to be a custody bonus any longer. However, years of experience, “time on” should still be a major factor, agree?

    Now, the core of my earlier comment. It was born from merely a thought of the two political children. Sexton & Baca. You are not going to be able to sell me on that Sexton jr. isn’t smart enough to see the shit piled debris field that was out there. One that only someone like he, the political wealthy, has a seat too. He decided to walk behind, alongside, on a 45…., in his pops foot tracks. And he got some shit on him. Decision’s he made. Then he tried to wipe some of the shit off. Now he is still dealing with the shit he walked through. Right, wrong, didn’t see it, wasn’t smart enough to figure it out, whatever,….he’s dealing with the shit on HIS shoe(s).

    I found it interesting that Baca’s kid obviously figured out how not to walk through his dads collateral shit a long time ago.

    At the end of the day, if you know him so well… and he’s a great guy…well then step up and help illuminate for him that he was either blinded by his pops political wealth and he should have figured out what was going on…what was right and what was wrong…or…maybe call BS on him and say, well that’s what you get for playing that game, pretty much a cheating one. Your the one that apparently knows him, not me.

    If it’s edited you must acquit!!! See above. Not sure what other material your privy too. Apparently some in depth stuff. I’m a bitter old man???? Ok…. apparently some more additional in depth reading material your privy too. And where did I say I don’t like little Sexton?? I don’t know him, why would I dislike him. Again, apparently some more of your private library stuff.

    Storm Rider: Spoken like a true Tanakanite. Hilarious. Once I stopped laughing, and doing 360’s…. I had to stop spinning to type you that I’m SO FAR 180 from your comment, it ain’t even funny.

    Well Jack, et al, had a same browne on for probably 90% of my 30 plus, Tall Paul and his merry men saw to that. I called BS on them a LONG time ago. No admin. POG time, tried for a couple of jobs over the years, the ones that if you didn’t get seal of approval from the patio coin flippers you were never gonna get, but F it, I showed up and tested despite them, my meaningless F u to those soulless P.O.S.

    Done dirt, or looked the other way??? I’m gathering that’s the way you were trained and play. That’s sad and a huge part of our departments problems. Nope, I was lucky enough to be taught a LONG time ago, that this job isn’t personal, it’s business. I don’t need to violate shit to get it done. If I know my skills strong enough I can always get it done then and in the end. If the shit-bag crook beats me over a the fence and into the house, or loop holes me in the courtroom, time is on my side, and I’ll get him tomorrow when he will certainly be out there doing it again. My FTO’s, Mentors, and supervisors, instilled in me that its just too easy to do it right. That’s not to say they or I always agree logically with the laws or policies, just that we get paid to play by them. Again, it’s business. The other thing they taught me is any honest mistake can be survived, but lying, any form of twisting shit, will get you fired. So as a good trained deputy, I always passed on the valued tools passed on to me. So my peers didn’t DO SHIT around me. Because they knew I wasn’t going to lay my shit on the line for some stupid “it don’t matter” bullshit. And I NEVER asked them to stand behind me when I had a brain-fart and did something stupid. And because I was trained the way I was, those instances were never anything hugely liable.

    Looking the other way is how we got into this WHOLE stupid shit to begin with. NO ONE was strong enough, skills wise, or of character, to tell BaNaka, WTF! when they started to get into this thing. And scary, how many executives, Lt’s, and Sgt’s. saw this shit and looked the other way? Now the majority of them are still here running things, probably still sweeping as much as they can under every carpet around. And if you dispute that, then here’s your in advance I call BS.

  • @ Oh Well, Politics & Storm Rider are just distractions.
    The focus is on the message, even though the assassination attempt on the messenger failed. This is not about one individual, but many (deputies) who were overlooked, abused and who had their careers cancelled in the worst way. James Sexton will be known for courage. Out of all the names in LASD history this battle won’t concern bullets nor necessarily balls, but of one deputy who fought two major Cornerstones in Law Enforcement in spite of the repercussions. He could have quit at any time and walked away. This whole Pandora Box is bigger than what we know or think. So let us not Tar & Feather, nor burn James Sexton at the stake. I say to him… Thank you and God Speed.

  • Before it is misconstrued, My heading was to Oh Well: stating that Politics along with Storm Rider were distractions (my thoughts only) from the topic.

  • Jack,
    I appreciate your honesty and candor re: being a Sexton fan. You’ve been straight up about that since day one. I take issue with one thing, and one thing only in your last comment. “You either love him or hate him”. I don’t love him or hate him. We’ve been thru this before. Why do you feel it’s impossible to be rather ambivalent about him? Why is it that unless a guy voices unmitigating support for him, you think a guy hates him? I won’t argue your point that he’s not the Patron Saint of LASD babies. How could I? That would be assinine. He only attained the rank of Deputy. Please understand that because I’m not a fan, that doesn’t mean I hate him. I’m not a Cleveland Browns fan either, but I don’t hate them.
    Storm Rider,
    I’ve said since day one he doesn’t belong in prison. I’ve said since day one it was bullshit that they even retried him. I’ve said I think he got royally fucked in the second trial. I’ve said that before more than once. I think the feds played dirty. I hope he gets the conviction overturned. I’m happy that Baca and Tanaka are squirming over what he exposed.
    Obviously that isn’t good enough for most of you. I’ve got to consider him a hero and join the fan club. I’ve got to wave the banners and show up in the courtroom to support him or you’ll label me a Tanakaite and talk six truckloads of shit. Well pal, you’ll just have to keep talking your shit. I’ve got my big boy Levi’s in the washing machine. I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to deal with it. Oh, BTW, wasn’t it this EXACT kind of polarizing bullshit mentality that has been so fucking ruinous to the morale of our beloved LASD? Wasn’t that the mentality of the Tanakaites concerning their hero? That if you didn’t love him, if you didn’t support him unfailingly no matter what, it’s was all about “Fuck you, you’ve got nothing coming. We’ll talk shit about you if you don’t jump in our car”.
    Who is it that’s acting like the Tanakaite? Think about it. You won’t need to use Windex on your mirror to see that fucking log in your in eye.

  • Politics has been, and still is, a true Deputy. Read his writings and you know, he has been there. Never knew, don’t care to meet, Baby Sexton. Courageous, not. When shit went south, he ran to the Feds. Intelligent? He was fooled by the Feds. It’s not his fault though, he was never police. He was a politician in the making. Roll tide, roll Sexton! So sad.
    P.S. Glad Paul is gone, but still have some scrubbin’ to do.

  • Is this about bonifide principles and due process or is it about the name game and who to blame. Just saying.

    In this particular ballgame of politics, there are many players with different fan bases. Who will win, who will get the mvp, who will strike out, etc…..only time and the 9th circuit will tell.

  • Although we don’t have like buttons, we should have a word count. I just read what I think was the longest WLA rant we have seen to date over a DEPUTY.

    Bro (although I’m thinking this could be something else based on the vitriol comments), that thing was longer than the 459 who done it with EV and suspicious circumstances that I just wrote.

    We generally don’t tar and feather folks, but the expose on the flawless career is probably not going to resonate with the readers today. Just saying.

    I also think it’s personal and you do know him. Howard Stern said a fan watches for 30 min and a hater spends 4 hours with me.

    Take off the diaper and tin foil hat, and go get some sunshine. James Sexton did not orchestrate a political vanguard in collusion with his father. In fact, it was the opposite; 20 something old year kid running away to California for a taste of the dream.

  • After reading some of this stuff, it sure looks like the Court system and Hon. Percy Anderson got it right !

    I can’t blame the Convicted Criminals as they are just trying to save their hides. I bet the Convicted Deputies are spending a fortune on defense attorneys.

  • @Politics There is no need to write an essay on HOW YOU HAVE DONE IT RIGHT all these years. I was right about you being a bitter old man. Sexton actually came to LA to, like so many, get experience and move on with his career aspirations. His intentions were never to wait for his father to come rule the land, become king and have Los Angeles changed to Los Sexton. Your bullshit you write is not even slightly true. Sexton didn’t look the other way and if you read the brief or even listened to the FEDS you would know he was their witness, met with them almost 40 times to help get rid of Baca, Tanaka and all the other CRIMINALS at LASD. The Brief may have Sexton’s side but it all factual. If you actually read it you would know he is innocent and there was no obstruction, but @Starlight was right you and the other old farts at LASD are just small distractions because this train is moving in the right direction.

  • And let’s not forget Daddy Sexton’s role in getting Baca that most coveted, prestigious and well deserved “Sheriff of the Year,” award. Oh I bet Baca’s three hour acceptance speech was filled with lots of golden nuggets about leadership, ethics, integrity and honor. I wonder if that shamed organization even still exists or if there is any membership remaining that will talk about it. And who is drafted to come to LASD because they are the most qualified? Daddy Sexton, broker of the Sheriff of the Year award. Just another example of the disgraced years at LASD under the leadership of the Baca-Tanaka crime family. That award should be prominently displayed in the Sheriff’s EPC room so hacks like Parra and Helmold and many others can stand next to it and be photographed.

  • James took the risk when he and dad cozied up to Baca. He took the risk when he initially played his part in Pandora’s box. He tried to do the right thing with the Feds but they asked a high price, wearing a wire on his dad. He took a risk saying no. In the end he really has three people to blame for his plight, Baca, Sexton Sr, and himself. The Feds are in the business of dealing with constitutional abuse issues and corruption. They were no doubt aggressive and maybe pushed on the edges of the gray area. If the Feds are not done perhaps James’ prosecution serves another purpose. If it does not than I do believe the retrial was a waste of taxpayer money.

  • Oh Well……Re: July 7, 2015 (comments)

    You’re doing it again. Stop trying to “Super Size” yourself in yet another WLA comment section. It’s not about you.

  • OK I want to set the record straight for some of you new writers. Deputy Sexton work Operation Safe Jails as a Gang/Intelligence Deputy. He never was an Investigator, He never worked Jail Investigations which are the Investigators(detectives) of custody. So yes he could work his position without going to patrol as many hundreds have done before him. He was a hard worker and gathered a lot of intelligence that helped solve Homicides, rival gang shootings, and worked to gather intelligence on Deputy Juan Abel Escalante (MCJ-RIP) murder suspects. You can say what you want but if you didn’t know James then leave your comments to yourself.

  • Hey lookie lookie here. We’ve got a guy who likes to throw stats and dates around to try and bolster his argument. Let’s play his game, shall we? Yes. We shall.

    Okay #28 Enough Already,
    You asked for it. You got it Toyota! Remember while wiping the omelette off your face that it was you who asked for this dance. For the sake of trying to at least provide a modicum of accuracy to your claim in #28, I’ll stipulate that I did run off at the lip a little too often on July 7th.
    Your claim in #28 that I’m doing it again?
    Let’s go to the scoreboard since July 7th.
    Here’s the breakdown. Since July 7th there have been 13 threads that we have commented on for a total of 168 comments.
    Here’s a further breakdown. Of the 20 commenters who regularly comment, 7 people have commented more than I have. 4 have commented the same amount as me ( taking into account this comment of course ). 9 have commented less often. Well by god would you just look at that? I’m right in the middle of the pack. Average. Here’s a hint that maybe you ought to get out the Windex and wipe your mirror. You have commented as much as I have after July 7th. (Before this post, which is when you made your claim in #28). OOPS!!!!
    Hell, I wasn’t even tied for the lead on this thread until I responded to your bogus claim in #28. “If it’s edited you must aquit” was in the lead. I was tied for 2nd with Jack D. Now I’m only tied for the lead. Dare I say there’s a fair chance I might not even be in the lead on this thread when it “goes to print” lol. So there you are my friend. I haven’t run off at the lip after July 7th any more than you have. But right, “I’m doing it again” and I’m trying to “Supersize it” or “make it all about me”.
    Is it possible that it’s WHAT I say and not HOW MUCH I say it that puts a bunch in your chonies? Is it the WAY I say it? It shouldn’t be how often I comment. Splinters and logs friend. Pots and kettles. I fully realize that this post will of course fry your nalgas. Go ahead. Dispute it. I’ve done the research. I’ll be happy to give you the commenter by commenter breakdown. Maybe you should try that research thing before sticking your Florsheim in your pie hole all the way to the heel. Your emotions bro, you know, those one’s that boil inside you and say: “I hate that motherfucker” (that would be me). That’s what’s causing you to post the bullshit you did in #28. It’s also what causes you to end up looking silly, if we look at facts and evidence (that would be the stats after July7th) instead of listening to opinion. Now then, get back to your seat on the I Hate That Motherfucker train. It’s crowded bro. You don’t want to lose your seat. You might also want to refrain from a bout with Tuorettes and popping off when it’s inapplicable.

  • @ 31.Google is patented and has a trademark. Infringing upon them has already cost you. You are not omnipresent.
    Were you like this in the academy, prior to going 10-8 on that first patrol ride?

    I’m sure you left your Thomas Guide in the trunk during your assignments at every fast station.

    I already know you were at both, the Watts Riot and the Los Angeles riots. Yada Yada Yada…be kind and tell us the percentage of the next raise. LOL

  • Oh Well and Handicapper,

    You two have been on this blog forever, and I believe we could share a beer and have a spirited debate. I actually enjoy the way you raise your points. Great point re the Browns and I’m not here to change your opinion. I’m just trying to participate in a civil and sophisticated discussion via cute moniker since that’s how we debate in America in 2015.

    Look it, we can schedule a cage fight like savages, but that would require setting an appointment, stretching, getting sweaty, and pulling our backs out 😉

    I appreciate the folks who raise concerns and I cross swords with folks that hate people because they are Icons of what they hate in this world. Today’s WLA flavor is James and “this ain’t his first rodeo.” The same jack asses show up and talk unrealistic things about race, use of force, etc…

    I love that Celeste talks about social issues and we get no post, myself included. When it comes to this kid or another person, we break out in raiding parties and burn it down.

    From a strictly objective point, you can tell he has made an impression for better or worse on people’s lives. There are folks expressing sincere emotions one way or the other. If you were him, could you handle the emotional roller coaster? The fact he gets up everyday and fight his own fight is why I love and respect James Sexton. I concede this is the root of why many others don’t. He is not easily moved out of the way.

    Btw- we still have executives in this department who knew everything they were doing going 10-8 and lied about it…… What are they going to do if he beats this? I’m sure he won’t be able to persuade the public or provide interesting expert testimony for the next century.

  • Oh Well and Handicapper,

    I really think we could be drinking buddies in real life, and I don’t demonize you for raising points of view. In fact, I like the manner in which you do it; case in point the Browns reference. I’m just trying to have a civilized and sophisticated debate under a cute anonymous moniker. Didnt you guys know that’s how we communicate in America 2015?!?

    Of course we could always schedule a cage match, but that would require prior planning, stretching, and getting sweaty. I doubt we got the backs for that anymore.

    I am just trying in vein to defend my friend by any means. I would and have gotten in a bar fight for Sexton.

    On a neutral note, WLA post a pluthra of social issues, and we ALL never post unless it’s about an individual. You have to admit this guy has formed an impression on folks for better or worse. He would be the first one to you “it ain’t his first rodeo.” He is always 100% in anything he does.

    So enough of my man crush, and back to our previously scheduling raiding parties! In the meantime, let’s all try to remember there are several department executives who knew everything and still going 10-8. I remember reading an email from my Sheriff about integrity and lying.

    I doubt he has asked to see who received the ops plan, timeline, and email strings involving the coordination of three entire divisions to house Anthony Brown at San Diimas STA. I’m sure Sexton et al did that without the Captain out there not knowing. I’m sure the Custody Commanders and Chief were cool with OSJ standing guard in the Far East without knowing about it.

    This laughable when you look at it from above. Then throw in the extracurricular and we have a sitcom. I wonder what the executives would think of little Sexton as an expert witness in every civil suit for the next eon if he survive this?

  • @handicapper Sexton never cozied up to Bacca. He hated the man. Why do you condemn James because you don’t like his father. If we all had to pay for our parents sins we would all be in a long line to hell. @ oh well ,@ handicapper and @ politics you are all a bunch of old farts with a big chip on your shoulder. Everyone on this site has an opinion, I’m not going to change yours and you won’t change mine. The truth could hit you between the eyes and you wouldn’t know it!!!!

  • Jack…. we should exchange handles. You are an obvious politician. Magic, look over here…let me do all the things I’m going to say you do, as I do them myself and explain to everyone else that I’m not. You said some simple stuff, aka that you just don’t buy this guy Sexton couldn’t have known he was forehead deep in some shit hole now called Pandora’s box from the jump off, just one person’s opinion. So let me shout from roof tops that your an admin. POG who has the senior citizen parking spot at HQ and hasn’t had a Sam Brown in 10 years. Let me toss in a bunch of stuff you never wrote for others to read so that I can infer you said it, because I’m thinking most won’t bother to go back to your post and actually read what you wrote. Hilarious.

    Or you could go with Bart Simpson, Lie, Deny, and Make Counter Accusations (as I look the other way on dirt, cuz that’s the way us in the car/cone of silence roll). I applaud that you, Must Equit, Storm Rider, & Factoid, can rock multiple screens playing on-line shoot them up bang bang games together, and comment on this at the same time. You Call of Duty guys ROCK.

    Bro….Sub Circs…COME ON… I know you’ve heard of it, let’s not act like you have ever typed one, because I doubt you have ever had to buy .5 or .7 HB lead to feed threw a mechanical pencil onto a form you pulled out of a posse box. You sound completely like the word processor gen. And the 459 with EV….priceless. You mean the 459 report call you left evidence at as you handed the victim a report memo with a tag number on it. The report memo you got out of your pocket, because you don’t carry a basket weave notebook in your rear pocket. STARS like you can’t bother with that, can’t have your top secret stuff being subpoenaed to court (even though it would just merely be a notebook full of blank pages). And just a suggestion, get a new file. So when you get jammed by your sister car for not taking the paper, and you actually have to write that three page 459 report, because we know it’s only going to be three pages, always is, funny how EVERY 459 is the same in your stellar investigative eyes, that you stop submitting it with the other URN on two of the three pages after you make the couple of face page changes to submit the new URN. But hey, I’m sure you have an email saved for the poor LARCIS Sgt, ready to go…. I don’t know, I turned it in, the secretary lost it, I don’t have any notes.
    I know I’m near my word count limit, and your water cooled i7 chipset is overclocking hard as you go for level 7 on your laptop as you hide in some cave hoping your MDC doesn’t beep. But this stuff types to easy re: your clown comments. Anyway, be careful bro… your mentor Howard Stern would tell you not to spend any more time on me, cuz I’m SURE your no hater.

    Must Equit….. My bullshit is not even slightly true??? OK, I’m sure your bullshit smells like mint from all the chew you ingest as you battle Jack from your personal laptop as you cave it somewhere also. You might want to consider my handle also, if Jack grabs it, you could always be Politics OG. Based on what you and your other clown car pals have represented here….. If you clowns are anywhere remotely near this trains engine cab, were doomed. Ya, BIG reasons for talking about DOING IT RIGHT, especially around the look the other way when dirt is going down types representing here.

    And when Starlight tried pulling the table cloth…. All of saw all the dishes and glasses hit the floor and break. What, just because you clowns collective jumped on and said they didn’t…WOW…none of us thought for ourselves and believed you. We read your posts. YOU ARE THE DISTRCTIONS.
    Sexton Jr. Great guy, Good DUDE, worst guy ever, middle of the road guy…whatever… he wound up with shit on himself…now he’s unfortunately dealing with it. Baca’s kid, no shit on him I’m aware of (read previous post for the simplicity in that thought/comment or…watch your essay word count as you twist shit).

  • @Politics you are either on heavy medication or need to be and it is Acquit and not Equit!!! Have a great day!!!

  • @ Politics ▪ You only impress those who weren’t sworn when the area code was 213 for the San Gabriel Valley or King Blvd was Santa Barbara or when Peter J. Pitchess made impromptu visits at the honor ranch.

    Take your shit-talking elsewhere and be thankful that you don’t pay into retirement.

  • Hi all: Been a busy summer doin the lords work. Haven’t had a chance to check in till now. I see all you crusty old Veterans and buck tooth dentured retirees are still arguing about things we can’t control. Whatever. Well, time to head out for another “T” spot. Guess what, oh ya, I’ll be pushing that Black and White with my sleeves rolled up, ink showing, and chewing my favorite tobacco product. Don’t like it, come and git me.

  • Must Acquit,
    What I am is an old fart with an opinion. Just like everybody who pops off here. Chip on my shoulder? Not hardly. It got knocked off a long time ago. It was knocked off by older, more experienced, more knowledgable guys I worked with. I thank God for them. I would pop off with something stupid like: “The truth could hit you guys between the eyes and you still wouldn’t believe it”. Then they would tell me something like I’m about to tell you.
    So you know the truth eh? And I’m too fucking stupid to see it? You have all the answers? You know the scoop? Here’s a truth for you kid. The truth is, Sexton got himself in some deep shit. The truth is, it doesn’t really matter why. The truth is, your buddy is fighting for his freedom and life. The truth is, it’s because he got himself in that deep shit. The truth is, he made the decision to go along with the clusterfuck in the beginning. The truth is, now he’s paying a huge fucking price for that boneheaded decision. And here’s a harder truth, for you junior. The truth is, it’s hitting you right between the fucking eyes, and you don’t like it because he’s a buddy of yours. The truth is, you don’t like it when anybody points out how he got himself in the shit he’s in. The truth is, NOW LISTEN UP JUNIOR, that the feds or the judge don’t give one flying fuck thru a rolling donut how great of guy he is. They don’t give a fuck if he’s your buddy. They don’t give a fuck if he’s the greatest guy in the caper, or the biggest asshole in the caper. None of that shit matters to them. And here’s the hardest truth for you kid. The truth is, you pop off with your comments because he’s your buddy. Because you’re emotionally involved. Because you know him to be a great fucking guy. Maybe he is kid. I’ll take your word for it. Maybe I’d love the guy if I knew him. But I don’t, and neither do some of the others guys discussing the caper and his boneheaded decision to go along with it in the beginning. We aren’t emotionally attached like you are. The truth is, you CAN’T be objective about any of this, because you’re emotionally attached. Quit talking shit to me. Save your bullshit for the other charter members of the Sexton Fan Club. It won’t fly here kid. Not with me. I don’t know him. BTW kid, I hope he beats it. I think he’s getting royally fucked. You’re not exactly doing him any favors in the court of LASD opinion by telling old farts like me that we wouldn’t “know the truth if it hit us between the eyes” while walking around waving your Save Sexton button. It’s not good PR. You’re not being a good Sexton rep. if you’re wearing that button and talking shit to guys like me, who want the kid to walk. Don’t worry, you talking a little shit to me won’t change my opinion on whether or not I want Sexton to beat it. I still do. But that might not be the case with everybody. I realize you’re just one of those young bucks who thinks they know everything and likes to talk a little shit to anybody who you aren’t even smart to realize is hoping for the same outcome as you are. I was like that once. I understand. I won’t be hoping Sexton gets royally fucked just because you’re acting like a young gunsel dipshit right now. It’s time for you to get back in your radio car and go handle your shit. You’re not impressing me running your lip here. Be safe kid.

  • Politics is all talk. I don’t know of any Deputy or Brass who attempt to prove themselves with newspaper sized half page ads. Pure comedy. He’s completely harmless.

  • @at oh well, who told you I was a kid? I am probably a lot older than you and I know I am wiser. So,
    I will make this short and sweet, your rambling, STFU!!!!!!

  • If you current LASD employees put this much time into the job that pays you the department might not be in the current state that it is.

  • Sexton Jr. has shit on his shoes. Fact, can’t happen if your not stepping in it. tricked into stepping into it, stepped in it knowingly, whatever.

    These friends of Sexton love to talk about all the higher ups that knew and did nothing.

    Here’s another thing I’m not buying. The most important operation in the 150 year history of the department…

    Sexton Jr’s friends, confidants, knew…. he told them…
    What did they tell him…. any advise dispensed from their tenured experience…. or did they look the other way…

    Maybe their names should be on the same list of the many they shout should be being held accountable…

    I think all this infantile shouting of misdirecting name calling is very showing….

    They knew….enjoined in approval or did nothing…. and now feel guilty.

    Maybe Baca’s kids friends told him, dude your pops crazy ass shit is gonna burn you….that’s what happens when you stand next to the flame, dad, friend, stranger, he’s still a hot political ember just waiting for some oxygen to blow him up.

  • Must Acquit,
    I stand corrected. You probably are older than I am. So who you calling an old fart? And yes, you are wiser too. As dumb as I am, if I may be so bold as to give you a piece of advice. Don’t be bragging about that wiser than me thing. Everybody who’s been around here for awhile knows I’m a moron. You might get laughed at. It’s kinda like telling somebody you outran Rosie O’ Donnell. Just saying. Congrats though. Great job!!
    Smooches.

  • @politics you are shouting the loudest so you must be the biggest baby and your baby brothers are @oh well and @handicapper. I am just amazed at the hate that radiates from you three. No wonder the LASD is in trouble with beatings and such. I bet the three of you are the main ones that are guilty because people that are that full of anger have to release it somewhere. you aren’t interested in the truth or anything or anyone that tells it. You have already said you didn’t know James so how do you know what kind of person he is? You obviously have a bitter grudge against his father. Maybe you really do know James and he realized what kind of person you are and you can’t stand the fact he saw your true colors. In the end it doesn’t matter what me you or anyone thinks. They only opinion that matters is the Appellate Board. I hope it goes James direction, but if it doesn’t he is
    strong and will come out on the other side a better person. You three lost all hope for that years ago!!!

  • The torch is in the hands of the young deputies.

    I will say, that the new and young tigers would be wise in learning to “Wax On-Wax Off” in spite of the current climate of Law Enforcement .

    Old Lions & Young Tigers don’t run together, however the respect is due to both, mutually.

  • Haaaa, this “Oh Well” tool appears to be one of those burned out babbling Veterans demanding respect and a free beer everywhere he goes. Sorry salty, no free beer here. Now go do that Bailiff paperwork. As for me, I’ll continue to do the Lords work, sleeves rolled up, ink showing, chewing my favorite tobacco product.

  • Last time to answer you @ oh well or your buddies. Being old doesn’t mean you are a “Old Fart”. The “Fart” is added when someone that is old turns mean and angry. The fact that you would admit you are dumb is pathetic because, I may be old, but I am not lacking intelligence. I may have figured out your hatred towards James. He found out some deputies were bringing in contraband to the inmates, he turned those criminal deputies in and started receiving death threats. There is a law suit pending. James is suing LASD pertaining to this matter. I would bet my life on it, your anger issues stem from this case. There are only a few that feel strong about James’ Conviction — James, his family and close friends, all attorneys involved and those that carry a grudge. My “friend” you fall in this last category. Have a great day, I have more on my plate that just arguing back and forth with 3 knuckleheads!!!!

  • Must Acquit,
    My God. You’re way too fast and way too sharp for me. I’d need a motorcycle and a Ginsu to keep up with you.
    Or I could run backwards with a plastic spoon.
    Your reading comprehension skills are obviously due to your superior intellect. I can’t compete with you. I surrender.

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